Lee County city leaders react to proposed changes to mining rules

Nick Batos, a councilman for the village of Estero, addresses the Lee County Commission Wednesday, April 17, 2019 during the first hearing on comprehensive plan changes that could impact mining in southeast Lee County.(Photo: Ricardo Rolon/The News-Press)

Fourteen elected officials from Lee County cities urged commissioners Wednesday to preserve the county’s current land use policies on lime rock mining.

Lee County Commissioners voted Wednesday to send proposed changes to lime rock mining rules to the state for review by the Department of Economic Opportunity. The amendments to the county plan would return to the Lee County commission for an adoption hearing at a later date.

The changes the commission considered Wednesday include: eliminating a required lime rock supply and demand analysis, elimination of a map that identifies where future mines can be opened in southeast Lee County.

Mayors and councilors from Estero, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel spoke before the commission during hours of public testimony to express their concerns about removing those elements from the county’s land use plan.

They discussed the environmentally sensitive land — known as the DRGR — in east Lee County, which was set aside to protect the regional water supply and the quality of life of Lee County residents.

Here are what some city representatives said:

Bill Ribble, village of Estero mayor

Ribble urged commissioners to not transmit the proposed mining changes. Ribble encouraged the county to work with Florida Gulf Coast University to look at lime rock mining processes and impacts in the county.

"We want you to take a look at this whole process and come up with a solution if there is one,” Ribble said.

Nick Batos, village of Estero councilor

Batos objected to the removal of the lime rock supply and demand analysis.

“Your plan would remove forever the requirement to have the proof that need for any more of it (limerock) is required in the DRGR. That is a shame," Batos said. "We will just allow this non-compatible, disruptive use in our DRGR and, in fact, it will be the beginning of the end, in my opinion, of the DRGR as it stands in south Lee County.”

Peter Simmons, city of Bonita Springs mayor

Simmons asked commissioners how the proposed changes to lime rock mining could impact water quality in the DRGR.

“Yes, Lee County is expanding, but that doesn't change the purpose of why the DRGR was established," Simmons said. "It was established for the reason of fresh water. When you look at the DRGR, when you look at what happened with Hurricane Irma, areas in Bonita springs had standing water for a month. Where does mining fit into that?”

“It’s the worst idea and completely dilutes all the investment we put into for tourist advertisements. Come to the rock mining capital of Southwest Florida?”

James Maughan, city of Sanibel councilor

Peter O'Flinn, city of Bonita Springs councilor

O’Flinn spoke in favor of the county map, known as Map 14, that limits mining areas to parts of southeast Lee County.

“It is standard operating procedure for governments to be involved with restrictions on extraction industries. God may have put all the oil in the world off of Fort Myers Beach, but everyone in Florida from the governor down wants to restrict and not have mining in that area," O'Flinn said. "That, in this context, is what Map 14 (in Lee County) is all about. It says this is an invasive, excavating industry with environmental effects.”

Jason Maughan, city of Sanibel councilor

Councilor Jason Maughan argued the current mining regulations in the Lee County's comprehensive plan plan protect land in the eastern part of the county.

“We are now gone from just getting a foothold to clean water to say now ‘Great, let's do strip mining in eastern Lee County,’” Maughan said. “It’s the worst idea and completely dilutes all the investment we put into for tourist advertisements. Come to the rock mining capital of Southwest Florida?”

Fort Myers Mayor Anita Cereceda during emergency meeting of Lee County mayors on the Lake O. water crisis(Photo: Bill Smith/news-press.com)

Anita Cereceda, town of Fort Myers Beach mayor

Cereceda asked commissioners to consider the environmental impacts of mining.

“This county has been known for its conservation principles. Don’t back down on that gentleman. Mining is not a compatible use for anything,” she said.

Ray Murphy, town of Fort Myers Beach vice mayor

Murphy advocated for protecting the county's drinking water by keeping the limits on mining in place.

“We have to defend our drinking water. We have to defend it. The county years ago did a tremendous thing by creating the DRGR. It provided for very little development out there, very little activity in the name of protecting our drinking water," Murphy said. "We’ve done a fantastic job of that. I’d like to see it continue in the future.”